Professional Development Focus

Crossing Cultures, Contexts, and Communities

After the 100 Languages of Children exhibit visit to Boston in 1981, the influence of the Reggio Emilia approach has become established in many local colleges, universities, and private nursery schools in the Boston area. In the last decade, thanks to the work of Project zero, the Boston Public schools and many teacher education programs there is now growing interest in the principles of Reggio Emilia in public and community-based settings. The next chapter of our work in Boston is to make sure that the training in the Reggio Emilia approach is accessible to educators who represent the workforce across contexts, cultures, and communities, particularly in underserved and under-supported communities. The offerings in this professional development plan are intended to bridge that space.

From June to November 2018, “The Wonder of Learning” exhibit in Boston will bring educators, researchers, policymakers, and families together for an unprecedented opportunity to improve programs and outcomes for our youngest learners. This comes at a critical time as Boston and communities across New England make new investments in early childhood education. Our aim is to present a professional development plan with offerings that welcome early childhood educators and administrators across all sectors – public, community-based, Head Start, and family childcare – to engage with “The Wonder of Learning” exhibition and enter into a dialogue with ideas espoused by the municipal preschools and infant-toddler centers of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Our plan also emphasizes local knowledge and expertise of educators who have long collaborated with Reggio educators and their ideas.

During “The Wonder of Learning” exhibit hosting period in Boston, MA, we propose the following professional development initiatives. All events in this plan are to be hosted by Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development and held on the university campus, where “The Wonder of Learning” exhibition will be displayed. All fee-bearing events will be offered at discounted rates for NAREA members. Pending available funding, scholarships will also be provided for early childhood educators in need of financial assistance.

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Wise Words

“Quality starts with creating a thriving village of adults who are prepared, supported and compensated to impact children and one another. If tomorrow’s policies do not support and elevate those adults in the early education field, they will falter in the support they mean to provide for children.”Nonie Lesaux & Stephanie Jones